The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved the sale of Hobart Private Hospital to Catholic healthcare provider Calvary Healthcare, a decision made on Thursday, August 27, 2026. The approval comes despite concerns that the change in ownership is likely to lead to restrictions on certain medical services currently offered at the hospital, as reported by ABC News Tasmania.
The ACCC’s decision clears the way for Calvary, an existing not-for-profit Catholic operator with four other private hospitals in Tasmania, to become the sole major private hospital operator offering overnight services in Hobart. The corporate watchdog acknowledged that services such as certain IVF and other assisted reproductive services, voluntary assisted dying, elective terminations of pregnancy, and gender reassignment procedures would likely not be provided by Calvary at Hobart Private due to its Catholic ethos.
However, the ACCC found that the acquisition was unlikely to substantially lessen competition. Its reasoning stemmed from the financial difficulties faced by the hospital’s previous owner, Healthscope, which entered voluntary administration in May 2025. The regulator concluded that in the absence of another commercially realistic purchaser, there was a “real prospect that Hobart Private would cease operating as a private hospital” without the Calvary acquisition. The ACCC also noted that the services in question would likely cease to be provided at Hobart Private even if the sale to Calvary did not proceed. Department of Health secretary Dale Webster reportedly stated that without the deal, Tasmania risked losing 140 private beds and five operating theatres.
Tasmanian Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, welcomed the sale, describing it as a “positive outcome” for Tasmanians who rely on private healthcare. Minister Archer acknowledged the concerns raised regarding the future availability of certain services. However, she affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring “no service gap for vulnerable Tasmanians,” indicating that some services, such as IVF, have already been resolved, with ongoing efforts to address others.
Conversely, advocacy groups have voiced significant apprehension. Equality Tasmania spokesperson Yalei Wilson expressed disappointment with the ACCC’s decision, suggesting that trans and gender diverse Tasmanians might be forced to seek treatment interstate, incurring substantial personal and state government costs. Wilson urged the State Government to intervene to ensure the continuity of existing services in Tasmania and indicated that the matter would be referred to the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.
The sale marks a significant shift in Hobart’s private healthcare landscape, with the long-term implications for service provision now a key focus for the community and government alike.
For more details, readers can refer to the original reporting by ABC News Tasmania.